Desperate Acts
by Wravyn
Summary: (UPDATED) An alternate version of the season 3 Buffy ep, The Wish. You know the sitch. Cordy makes a wish, and WHAM, she's sucked into a new world. Thing is, this time round Angel is sucked in with her...
1. Prologue

Desperate Acts 

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**Disclaimer:** Joss thought 'em up, but I'm just taking them out to play.

**Summary:**An alternate version of BtVS' Season 3 ep, "The Wish". This time when Cordy makes the wish, she unknowingly drags Angel back with her...

**Author's Note: **Wow, I must have written this...*counts*...well, years ago. Circa 1999, was it? I uploaded it onto FF.N in one huge chunk cause I was too lazy to separate the fic into its respective chapters. Looking back at it now, it irritates me. So here I am, pounding away at my laptop again for the newly edited, newly formatted Version 2.0 of Desperate Acts.

Old readers, voila! New readers...enjoy!

_Words in indicate thoughts._

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** Desperate Acts**  
by _Wravyn_

**Prologue**

It was a dark, melancholy sort of night, as all her nights these days seemed to be. The moon...but never mind the moon. She wasn't looking anyway. 

Cordelia Chase sat, silent and pensive, alone on the hood of her car. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her legs and her chin rested on her knees. Her warm brown eyes, usually alive with sardonic arrogance, now remained closed and guarded.

She was thinking, as was fairly usual since the breakup, of him. Xander "Lying Scumbag" Harris. It was crazy, irrational, even, to dwell on him so. He had cheated on her, and with his best friend, no less, and she had dumped and forgotten worthier guys for less.

But the memory of his awkward smiles and clumsy kisses were still fresh in her mind. Floppy-haired fashion victim that he was, Xander Harris proved to be more enduring a presence than she would have given him credit for. She finally admitted to herself the truth that she'd been so afraid of.

I still love him.   
  
She had been more hurt by the kiss he had shared with Willow than she let on. No one had been around to see her cry; deep, gut-wrenching sobs brought on by the pain of his betrayal. The ache in her side a callous symbol of what he'd done, she swore to herself that she would forget about him and move on. So she ignored his presence at the hospital, left his phone calls unanswered, refused to accept his fervent apologies. As a final touch, she burned all pictures she had of him, of her, of their time together.

But the love she denied she felt for him was immaterial, and ran deeper than a couple of photographs. She couldn't get him out of her mind. In the eyes of the world, Cordy had bounced back from her relationship with no apparent scars. She had gone back to her old self - Queen C with her admiring flock of sheep. Each time her relationship with Xander came up in conversation she laughed it off, often with a scornful remark at his expense. Whenever she chanced to pass him in the halls she looked away deliberately and put on a disinterested face.

But at night she went up the hill to the spot where they used to sneak for cuddles and kisses, and she'd think about what she'd lost. The moon was ever the sole witness to her solace.  
  
In time, his calls had stopped, and he no longer appeared at the Bronze. Life went on, in all appearances, but still she thought of Xander - still thought of his arms around her, still thought of their passionate kisses. And she thought of Willow, of her uncharacteristic duplicity, and her anger and jealousy would rise up inside of her until she could taste their bitterness in her mouth.

But she still loved him.

* * *

"I never would have looked twice at Xander if Buffy hadn't made him marginally cooler by hanging out with him."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I swear! I wish...I-I wish..."

"Yes?"

Cordelia swallowed a sigh. She'd done more than her share of what-ifs and maybes lately, and wished herself to pieces trying to undo what could not be undone. In her heart of hearts, there was only one wish she would have come true if she could.

"I wish things had happened differently."  
  
And at this Anya laughed. Cordelia, her mind on Xander, did not see that her face had changed. "Done." 

* * * 

Angel paced up and down and back and forth the floor of the mansion, his mind as haphazard as the mess that was strewn around him. He hadn't had the heart to do much since it happened, and cleaning up was at the bottom of his list of priorities. Buffy. Breakup. Brooding. The three B's floating over and around him, permeating his every pore with the slow torture of their existence. 

The sun shone garishly outside. Normally he would be sleeping, but this was not normally, and his mind had been preoccupied for days. If only she hadn't broken up with me, he brooded. If I hadn't killed Jenny Calendar, she would still love me. I would still have Buffy.   
  
A part of Angel secretly wondered if that were true. What the two had shared was love, that was undeniable. But even before the loss of his soul and his shift to the Angelus persona, he had known that their relationship was doomed. A Slayer and a vampire...the mere thought was ridiculous, a fallacy. It was just not meant to be. 

But I love her, he thought in anguish. He had loved her from the first moment he'd seen her, all laughter and innocence. Wrong as he knew it was, he could not help but fall for her, and he loved her still. And now she won't have anything to do with me. 

He dropped himself into a nearby chair and covered his face with his hands. 

I wish things were different. 

* * * 

Unbeknownst to Angel, at the same time he was making his wish, Cordelia was making the exact same one on the other side of town. So when the spell that was to alter Cordelia's reality acted upon her, it also pulled in the vampire.  
  
  
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_Read on sports fans...it's going to take some time for me to go through and fix the whole fic, but I'll post one more part before I go do some work. --Wravyn_


	2. Part 1: First Glimpse of La-la Land

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**Disclaimer:** We all know they're not mine.

_Words in indicate thoughts._

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**Part 1: First Glimpse of La-La land**

  
Cordelia shook her head, slightly perturbed. Well, that was weird. Since when do I share my deepest, darkest thoughts with perfect strangers, even Prada-toting ones? 

She knew, of course, the reason. Having been so openly rejected by Harmony and the rest of her old group, she had welcomed any friendly glance sent her way. Going out with Xander had already lowered her May Queen status considerably, but being _dumped_ by him...she could not ignore the looks of pity she received in the halls. She had not realized she had sunk so low until that moment she had been turned down by one of her castoff boyfriends. 

Cordelia's pride had taken a deep blow after that incident, but there was no way in hell she would run to Willow or Buffy for comfort. So she had turned to Anya, who was appropriately sympathetic. 

And speaking of Anya...  
  
Cordelia turned to where the girl had been standing a few moments ago. _Had_ been standing. 

Where did she run off to? she thought, annoyed. That's what happens when I vent about old boyfriends. She must have wigged out and snuck off when I wasn't looking. 

Shrugging, she looked around the quad for someone else to hang with. Surely she had had not yet earned herself the title of Social Outcast... 

In the distance, she saw a flash of blow-dried blondeness. Harmony. And therefore the rest of the sheep. I'll give them one more chance, she decided. I've really got to get over this Xander thing. He's simply not worth the trauma. 

Having reassured herself, she made her way over to where the flock was standing. Pasting a grin on her face, she reached Harmony's side and opened her mouth to say hi.  
  
The blonde raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow when she saw Cordy approach. "Excuse me, I think you've got the wrong group. The Losers United are gathering over there," she pointed, amidst titters from the sheep. 

She rolled her eyes at the pathetic excuse for an insult. Those brainless morons, thought Cordelia uncharitably.  
  
"Cut the crap, Harmony. You know I was temporarily insane when I went out with Xander Harris. I am _so_ over him."  
  
Harmony laughed even louder. "Please. _You_? With Xander? In your dreams, Wal-Mart. God knows why he says you're his best friend, but you are _totally_ not girlfriend material! He is like, way out of your league." She wrinkled her nose for emphasis, then paused, eyeing Cordelia's outfit with interest. "Why, Cordy...are you showing signs of taste all of a sudden? Since when do you wear Versace? Or is that merely a cheap rip-off?"  
  
Cordelia blinked. "What? Oh, hey! Quit...!"

Harmony had reached out and was now fingering the material of her dress. Cordelia slapped her hand away, utterly confused at the recent turn of events. 

"It's real," pronounced Harmony with an incredulous laugh. Ignoring Cordy completely, she turned back to her friends. "Cordelia Chase in Versace. Wait till Willow hears this...that is, if she's not too busy with her loser boyfriend..." More titters, and then the group turned as one and walked away, leaving a bewildered Cordelia staring after them.  
  
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm. "Quick, Cordy," said a heartbreakingly familiar voice, "emergency meeting at the library." 

She turned around and faced Xander, fighting to suppress the rush of emotions that hit her at the sight of him. Goofy grin-wise, he looked alarmingly cute as usual, but... His clothes aren't tacky for once. 

There was no time to muse upon the observation, for she suddenly remembered what he had done. The nerve of him to come talk to her...and in public, no less! She shook his hand off and said in the nastiest voice she could muster, "As if I'd ever go to another one of those stupid meetings again. Unlike you, Harris, I have a life."  
  
Xander looked at her, startled. Then, inexplicably, he nodded, his face creasing into a sad smile. "I don't want to face them either, Cordy, but Giles needs us." 

He took her arm gently and led her off in the direction of the library. Cordelia, still trying to make out what he meant, went along without further protest. 

* * * 

Well if she was going to be coerced into attending another one of these half-baked meetings she was going to do it on her own terms. Cordelia pushed open the double doors and entered the library before Xander, ready with some ingrating comment. The words died on her lips when she saw the scene before her. 

Giles was in the corner, gathering some dusty old books, and Buffy was sitting at a table, sharpening stakes. Nothing new there. But Willow...Willow was sitting on Oz's lap. On Oz's lap! And...there was _kissing!_ Xander noticed where she was looking and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. He took a seat across from the couple and looked away, his eyes carefully set on Giles' face.   
  
"So, G-Man, what's on the agenda for today? Six-legged demon cow? Vampire bunnies from outer space? Make it quick. It's Pizza Day, and there's a large pepperoni and cheese waiting in the caf with my name on it." 

Giles cleared his throat and approached the table, carrying a large pile of books in his arms. "Um, y-yes. Shall we begin?" 

He glanced over at the door, where Cordy was still standing agape. "Cordelia, d-do have a seat. This is rather important." He gestured to the books in front of him and addressed the group, his demeanor immediately becoming authoritative. "N-now according to my research, there seems to be a sacrificial gathering that will take place in a few days. The Books of Ra have prophesied the rising of a being they call _Homen-tap_, or..."  
  
"What the _ hell_ is going on around here?" Cordelia, having found her voice at last. 

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_More soon, and this is a promise. After all, it's not like I'm writing a fic from the beginning, am I?_  



	3. Part 2: Add to the Confusion...

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**Disclaimer:** Blah, blah, blah.

_Words in indicate thoughts._

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**Part 2: Add to the Confusion...**

  
_That_ got their attention. 

Xander looked up at her, his mouth forming an O of surprise. Buffy and Giles too, seemed taken aback. Even Willow and Oz pried their lips apart enough to stare at her incredulously. Cordelia took in their various expressions and added it to her list of Things I Don't Quite Understand.  
  
"What?" she asked, a little unnerved. "What are you all staring at? Do I have lipstick on my teeth or something?"  
  
Oz spoke up, still visibly shocked. "Cordy...you don't swear!"  
  
You've got to be kidding me. 

"Hell? _Hell?_ I've said worse things than that before, Oz, and maybe you haven't heard me, cause it's not like we hang much, but if that's the reason you're all looking at me like I have toilet paper stuck on my shoe, well then..." She glanced down just to make sure. "Well then you can just get over it!"  
  
Gently displacing Willow off of his lap, Oz stood and walked over to Cordelia's side. "Cordy, what's wrong?" he whispered, his eyes anxious. He eyed her outfit and her made-up face, and his brow furrowed in apparent concern. "Is this all because of the breakup? You know you don't have to go to all this trouble..." he paused, clearly embarrassed. "It's over, Cordy."  
  
"If it's over, then why are you with _her_?" she spat, pointing at Willow. The redhead merely looked at her with an expression of pity on her face. 

Cordelia stopped talking, aware that something was not quite kosher. She looked over at Xander uncertainly, then back at Willow.  
  
And then it was Buffy's turn. The Slayer frowned and hopped off the table. She too, gave Cordelia's clothes a quick once-over, before putting her arm gently around the brunette. "I think maybe the California sun was too much for her today, guys. You know she's still weak from the fall." 

"Oh, so it's the drugs, then? I _thought_ she was acting a bit kooky..." 

Buffy shot Willow a warning glare, and the latter promptly shut her mouth and sulked. Buffy directed Cordy to the empty seat beside Xander and took one on the other side of her.  
  
"Now, Cordy, why don't you tell us what's going on?"  
  
At the innocuous words, Cordelia's precarious hold on her temper snapped. "That's what I want to know! One minute Xander is making out with Willow behind my back, the next _ she's_ all over Oz's face!" 

She turned to him now, her anger evident. "I thought you broke up with her? What did she do, promise to be good? Promised never to do it again? You must be more pathetic than I thought if you just let that little wimp crawl back to you like that!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Cordelia ignored Willow's outburst and whirled around to face Xander. "Does this mean you want to get back together again? Is that why you were being Mr. Sensitive today? Well, just because your redheaded girlfriend dumped you doesn't mean _I'm_ taking you back!"  
  
"Cordy," interjected Xander quietly, "Cordy, please. You're not making any sense." He sounded very unlike the sarcastic Xander she knew. Any moment now she would scream from the frustration of confusion.  
  
Buffy looked over at Giles, worry written all over her face. "Do you think it's temporary amnesia or something?"  
  
"More like temporary insanity." Willow laughed dryly. "All that research must have made our little hacker crack. She examined her nails carefully and grimaced. "It's not too good for my manicure either."  
  
Hacker? What is she talking about? 

Cordelia examined her more carefully, noting the differences in her appearance for the first time. Willow was wearing lipstick... and mascara...and eyeshadow... and a really cute skirt-top ensemble that Cordelia had seen in the window of her favorite shop. Add strappy sandals and carefully-styled hair and you've got... 

A trendy Willow...?   
  
The redhead was still talking. "...perfectly understandable, cause like, with all the time she spends with her eyes glued to the computer, what do you expect? I mean, what kind of creepy nerd has the _morgue_ book-marked as one of her favorite places on the Net?" Giles gave Willow a hard look which she misinterpreted. "What? I know something about computers too!"  
  
Nerd?   
  
Buffy stepped in, interrupting Willow's tirade. "That's _enough_, Willow!" She glanced at Cordelia, who had not said a word thus far. "Ignore her, Cordy. It's only Willow." 

_Nerd???_   
  
Oz looked at Cordelia in concern. Despite the makeup she was wearing Cordy? Wearing makeup? he noticed that her face had gone pale.

He glanced at his girlfriend, who looked indignant at having been told to shut up. She opened her mouth to retort, but Oz squeezed her hand gently as an entreaty for her to keep quiet. Willow's expression softened and she smiled lovingly at him. Pain flashed through Xander's face at that, but he too, kept quiet.  
  
Buffy continued to try and coax a response out of Cordelia. Giles cleared his throat and spoke up hesitantly, hoping that what he was about to say would cheer the girl up somewhat. "I-it would do you good to remember, Willow, that it has been thanks to Cordelia's research on the, um, Internet that Buffy has been able to defeat so many of the d-demons on the Hellmouth."  
  
Willow rolled her eyes in response. Cordelia, on the other hand, did something that she had never done before. She fainted. 

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_Yeah, yeah, so th__e fainting is a little OOC. But give the poor girl a break, her world's been turned upside down._  



	4. Part 3: Denial Runs Rampant

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**Disclaimer:** Blah, blah, blah.

_Words in indicate thoughts._

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**Part 3: Denial Runs Rampant**

Voices floated in and out the streams of her consciousness as she came to. With awareness came lucidity, and she was more able to assess her situation. Her head hurt, her spine...ah. She was lying on a table. Dark shadows flitting beneath her eyelids...so they were all milling around her. And again, those voices. Talking. 

She kept her eyes closed, having no qualms about eavesdropping on their conversation. 

"From what I could deduce, she seems to think that she was, um, going out, if you will, with Xander. And for some reason, she hates Willow for it." Definitely Giles.  
  
"I'm telling you, Giles, it's amnesia. It must be. Or else some demon-wizard or something cast a spell on her. Or maybe she knocked her head during the fall..." Buffy, sounding worried. I didn't think she cared, thought Cordelia sarcastically.   
  
"Is she going to be alright?" Oz. _Upset?_  
  
"What do you care? You broke up with her!" Xander. Clearly angry. 

It took a second, but eventually his words did sink in. 

Oz? _Oz_ broke up with _me?_

Cordy's reasoning fought against believing what she suspected was true... 

Well. That's certainly...different. 

...that her wish _ had_ come true...although _definitely _not in the way she had expected... 

"Cordy is no longer your concern." Still Xander, but now his voice was hoarse. "Your responsibilities are with Willow now." 

_"She's still my friend!"_  
  
"Things change. You kissed Willow, remember? We _saw_ you. Did you think things would be the same between the two of you?"   
  
"I didn't mean to hurt her feelings."  
  
Xander laughed harshly. "It's a little too late to be worrying about that." 

"Stop it you two." Buffy interrupted in a low, tense voice. "What's done is done. Our main concern now is Cordy. She's not taking this well. You saw how she acted!" 

"Yes. We did." Beneath her closed lids Cordelia could sense Xander's form as he hovered over her prone figure. He brushed his hand gently over Cordelia's cheek, and inwardly, she shivered with pleasure at his touch. 

Xander... 

Her mind was awhirl with all the things she'd just heard. The verification of her suspicion did not soothe her frantic feelings, and she felt the need for space. Space and time to think things over. 

Cordelia opened her eyes to a circle of worried faces that peered down at her. She's awake!" said Buffy, relieved.  
  
"Only because this table is so hard. God, Giles, you should invest in some sofas or something." Cordelia pulled herself to a sitting position and rubbed the back of her head ruefully. "Thanks for the concern, people, but I feel much better now. I'm going to go freshen up." Jumping from the table, she headed out, avoiding the hands extended to stop her, and keeping her eyes from meeting anyone's gaze.  
  
She reached the door and bumped into Willow, who was just on her way back in. "Oh, I see you're up," said the latter sweetly. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. It must be hard hearing the truth about yourself." 

Cordelia shot her a glare. Bitch.   
  
Willow pushed past the brunette and walked over to Xander. "Oh don't look like that, Xander honey. You know I didn't mean to hurt her feelings." She laughed coyly, enjoying the look on his face. 

"Willow..." 

"Come on, Oz. It's lunchtime and Harmony said she has something funny to tell me about your ex-girlfriend..." 

Cordelia didn't stay to hear the rest, shoving open the library doors and rushing out, mortified.  
  
Buffy rose immediately to follow her, but Xander put out his hand to stop her. "I'll go," he said. "I'll meet you at the cafeteria later." Buffy nodded reluctantly and moved aside to let him pass. 

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_I'm not too happy with this part, but oh well. What's done is done._


	5. Part 4: So What's the Diff?

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**Disclaimer:** Blah, blah, blah.

_Words in indicate thoughts._

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**Part 4: So What's the Diff?**

Cordelia walked through the halls quickly, aware that people were staring. Willow's words raced through her mind, leaving a sour taste in her mouth. They're wondering why the _nerd_ is so dressed up today. Why the _hacker_ is in a Versace... She shook her head, half in horror. What kind of world is this? _I'm_ supposed to be the pretty, popular one! She realized wryly that the thought of being uprooted from her spot did not bother her so much as the idea of shy, timid _Willow_ being the one to do it. She knew that she was being irrationally shallow, but as a bitter ex-girlfriend, frankly, she just didn't care. There is no way that girl is displacing me again.   
  
She found a secluded place in the quad where she could sit in relative solitude and think.  
  
Cordelia ran her hand through her dark hair and thought of all the differences between her world and this one. One, I'm a nerd. She paused as she considered this unlikely concept, swallowed hard, and continued with the list. Two, Willow is _so _not shopping at K-Mart anymore. Three, she's popular, and here she sneered slightly, and Harmony seems to love her, though only God knows why. This Willow is an uncaring, insensitive, snotty, shallow little _bitch_ who has no respect for other people's feelings and puts them down just because they're...not...as cool...as she is...   
  
Cordelia stopped, realizing that the description sounded...familiar. In fact it sounded very much like... Her jaw dropped as the proverbial light bulb went off in her head. We switched places, didn't we? We switched roles? I'm Research Girl and she's the May Queen! But that means... A line appeared between her eyebrows, and Cordy was faced with a galling realization.

Am I really that awful a person? 

She thought of having wanted to slap Willow's smug face earlier, and flushed with reminiscent shame. Having never been on the receiving end of her own preferred brand of snobbery, Cordy realized, quite simply, that she didn't like the feeling. Do Xander and Buffy think I'm that much of a bitch? 

She bit her lip, thinking back at all the rude, tactless comments she had directed towards the Scooby Gang in the past. And they were my only real friends, she realized with a pang.  
  
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Cordelia decided to make it up to them when she got out of this world. That's _if_ you get out, taunted a little voice in her head.

She ignored it and went back to her list, a little shaken.

Um...four. Willow and Oz are going out now. Willow and Xander were a couple... she grimaced at the thought, ...but they broke up when...when Xander and I caught them making out. She muttered an expletive under her breath. Willow, that skank. I guess even in this world, she can't keep her hands to herself. Her frown deepened at the irony, then disappeared as she began to fit together the pieces.

So this Xander is Willow-less, and Oz and I broke up... Her Cordelia Chase, Male Magnet persona began to jump up and down in excitement at the thought. I'm supposedly heartbroken, and so is Xander. What a perfect comfort situation! 

Cordelia smiled a real smile for the first time since the breakup. Maybe this world isn't so bad after all.   
  


* * *

  
Xander had checked in the cafeteria, but Cordy was not among one of the laughing students in the middle of the full-blown food fight. Normally Xander wouldn't have hesitated in jumping right into the fray, but his concern for the hacker propelled him away from the pizzas and towards the computer lab, where she sometimes spent her lunches talking with her favorite teacher.  
  
"Ms. Calendar?" he called, as he stuck his head through the door of the room. The pretty, dark-haired teacher looked up from her computer and smiled. "Hi, Xander." She noted his worried expression and asked in concern, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Cordy went awol after a sort-of fight she had with Willow. Have you seen her lately? She's been acting kind of strange...not like herself at all."  
  
Jenny Calendar frowned as she remembered seeing her favorite student in the hall that morning. "You mean with the clothes and all?"  
  
"Yeah, and she seems to have temporary amnesia or something. She sounded...uh...confused." Xander flushed slightly. "Something about `not taking me back.'"  
  
"Taking you back? That doesn't make any sense."  
  
"Yeah. She was pretty upset. So you haven't seen her?"  
  
"Not recently."  
  
Xander sighed and headed for the door. "I'll keep looking. Thanks for your help."  
  
"Tell me if you get any news on what's bothering her, okay?"  
  
"Will do."  


* * *

Larry bumped into Xander just as he stepped out of the computer lab. "Hey, man, I hear there's a huge food fight goin' on in the caf. The guys tell me it's like a riot in there. There's sauce all over the walls! And all over the girls," he said, winking lewdly at Xander. "They might want some help cleaning up, you know what I mean? You heading there or what?"  
  
Xander shook his head. "I'm looking for Cordelia Chase. Have you seen her?"  
  
"The computer chick? I think I saw her in the quad. Hey, she's lookin' hot today." Larry looked towards the direction of the cafeteria and slapped Xander in the back. "Listen, man, Lunch is almost over, and I don't want to miss the action. I'll see ya later." Larry sprinted off, narrowly missing a collision with Principal Snyder who shook his fist at the beefy senior and yelled.  
  
"I smell a detention coming on for you, young man. No running in the halls!"  
  
Xander snuck away before Snyder could see him standing by. Once safely out of sight, he headed towards the quad, wondering what was wrong with his best friend. 

_-----------------------------------_

_Not much plot development in this one either. Stay tuned for the action. It's coming, I promise._


	6. Part 5: A Switch in Perspective

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**Disclaimer:** We all know they're not mine.

**Author's Note:** Thanks to all who've been so patient with waiting. I've been having laptop difficulties...don't even get me started on the inconvenience.

_Words in indicate thoughts._

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**Part 5: A Switch in Perspective**

He wasn't blind, and he wasn't completely oblivious. He saw the legs first, long and sleek and gorgeous, and then blushed to the tips of his ears when their owner's identity hit him a split second later. It was a sign of years of comfortable familiarity when one can recognize one's friends from the most random of body parts, and though those...those _legs_,he gulped, were hardly _random, _he didn't have to look up at her face to see that they belonged to... 

"Er...Cordy?" 

Warm _(familiar) _toffee-colored eyes looked up at him and wine-colored _(unfamiliar) _lips flashed him a smile. She scooted down on the bench _(her skirt riding up just a tiny little inch)_ and patted the seat next to her. "Xander!" she said brightly, "Sit." 

He did.

"Listen, I've been thinking..." she began.

"Listen, we were thinking..." he said at the same time. They both paused, smiled awkwardly at each other. She nodded for him to continue.

He did.

"Cordy..." _She raised an eyebrow..._

"We were wondering..."_...tilted her head slightly to one side..._

A slight gust of wind, and a strand of dark hair flitted across her face. He blinked, distracted by the sight. Green apple shampoo, familiar. _And the smell._

He didn't realize he was staring.

"Umm...Cordy..."

"...What??"

_Snippy tone in voice, unfamiliar._ He shook his head to clear it, and focused on the situation at hand.

"Cordy, don't get mad, but we're all worried about you. We want to know what's wrong." 

She scowled. He backpedaled.

"It's just that you've been acting a little...unusual today. I mean, with the hair, and the, er..."

Legs. 

"...swearing. And stuff." He sucked in a breath. "Something's changed."

Her frown softened, became minutely sad. "Something has."

Xander sighed softly and put his arm around Cordelia. "I know you still love him, Cordy. Believe me, I understand. But you don't have to change yourself to get him back." 

"You mean Oz." Her voice was oddly flat.

"No, I mean Winston, the toothless janitor. Of course I mean Oz. Forget him. He just doesn't deserve a great girl like you."

"So who does?"

He froze - more from the decidedly unfamiliar _(unfamiliar!)_ way she was now running her fingers over his leg than the marked casualness in her words.

"Do you deserve me, Xander?" Her voice was like a purr.

_(Warning! Warning!)_

Xander pulled away, more than slightly alarmed. "Cordy...you're not acting like yourself. Maybe you better lie down?" 

She pulled her hand away, cheeks burning. "Right. I forgot. I'm _shy._ And _sweet_. And still _Willow_ manages to fuck me over." She stood up and grabbed her things, unable to met his eye. "Maybe you're right. I'm outta here."

"Aw, shi-...Cordy, wait!" He sprang up and ran after his friend, but even in those wicked heels she could outsprint him.

By the time he reached the school's parking lot she was gone.

As was the little red sports car belonging to Willow.

_-----------------------------------_

_Angel's comin in at the next part, so keep tabs. ;)_


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